1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image pickup apparatus, and more particularly to an image pickup apparatus for outputting image data on an image for which image processing is executed to a computer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Heretofore, there have been conceivable the various techniques for detecting a specific object within an image-capturing range by executing image processing based on an image signal obtained by capturing an image of a subject. Such techniques have been used in monitoring cameras and the like. In addition, there have also been known not only a visible-light camera for capturing an image of a subject by detecting a visible light reflected by or radiated from the object, but also a near-infrared camera and a far-infrared camera. These cameras can identify objects by detecting temperatures of objects of the image-capturing.
Now, the visible-light camera and the infrared camera (far-infrared camera) capture images of different objects each of which can be relatively identified owing to the respective different characteristics. For this reason, there is known a hybrid camera including both the functions of the visible-light camera and the far-infrared camera. The hybrid camera synthesizes (combines) image data on an image captured by the visible-light camera, and image data on an image captured by the far-infrared camera with each other, and displays thereon an image of a subject of image capturing night and day. This technique, for example, is described in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 10-73412, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 2006-333132, and 2005-223605.